snapshots
by gods-of-war
Summary: short little insights in to the lives of Pepper, Tony and the people they love.
1. Chapter 1

There were times that when she dreamed, Pepper dreamed of the dead. Not so much her parents anymore, but sometimes she would dream of her grandfather. Mostly they were memories, the times they spent together when she was little, when he could still lift her to reach for the sky. Or times that never actually happened, but they felt like they could have. Christmases that never were, or conversations that she wished could have happened. Pepper would find his face in the crowd at her college graduation, or waiting for her at the airport after a business trip. Those times she would wake with a small ache in her chest or a feeling of wistfulness that would last until the afternoon.

Pepper would dream of Obadia Stane too. Rationally she knew that she was trying to deal with the strange reality that her life had become. The times where she dreamed of the mundane times with him, at the office going over paperwork, or the shared chore of Tony wrangling. The times there was laughter and a feeling of camaraderie. Those were the times she would wake up and find a few tears in her eyes and she knew that she missed a friend. But the darker dreams would always weave their insidious way in right after. The feeling of being chased, of fear and an unsuspecting well of hate. Then Obie would become a menacing figure who would stalk her in the night, cornered her in the office, or at Tony's - the places where she used to feel safe. Then there was the time he dropped her off the roof of the Arc Reactor building. She fell in a shower of glass, smoke and amid the screaming of metal and harsh voices that sounded so familiar. Pepper would wake at those times bathed in cold sweat, with fear, betrayal and anger burning both hot and cold in her chest. She was never able to go back to sleep after those dreams.

Pepper never told anyone about them, although Rhodey used to try to talk to her about it - he stopped after the 4th time she greeted the topic with a cool smile and silence. Tony never asked, and for that she was greatful. But there were times that she would catch him studying her out of the corner of her eye after she had a bad night. THen she would find a small goil foil wrapped piece of chocolate carelessly placed on the courner of her desk. Almost as if she had forgotten it, as if Pepper would ever be so careless with ridiculously expensive Belgain chocolate. They never talked about this token of understanding - or compassion? It was just something else that filled the space of the things unsaid.


	2. Coffee?

He felt the nervousness and anxiety rising as the line shortened. This was stupid he mental berated himself. He had faced the guns at Normandy! He had jumped from planes in a sky shattered by anti-aircraft fire! He had run into the bloody hail of Nazi gun fire! He could do this.

He reached the counter and smiled politely at the young woman who stared him down blandly. He tried not to count the rings in her face. Two in the eyebrow, and oh holy cats two in the nose! What if she sneezed? His mind went blank.

"Can I help you?" It wasn't rude, it was just reminding him that there was a long line of people behind him and he should step it along please. It was dangerous to slow this line down with indecision.

He should know this! He had even run through it in his head. He had been given the intel just a few moments ago. . . The seconds stretched to eternity. It was like watching the icy teeth of the ocean rise up to swallow him all over again. So he improvised.

"I'll have what she ordered," and because Mrs. Rodgers' little boy was raised to be a GENTLEMAN he said, "Please."

She blinked in surprise. This was New York. First thing in the morning, and he was being NICE. "Uh, $5.50?"

Another tense moment. He fumbled with his wallet, everything looked just slightly strange as to throw him off. $5 for coffee? It was unreal. But he pulled out a $20 - my god he had never walked around with so much moolah on him before - and handed it over. The girl made change, and he dropped a $5 in the tip jar, just because he was relieved it was over. He gave her a recruiting poster smile.

"Have a good day."

"Um - Thank you?"

A few minutes later he stood staring at the massive paper cup in his hands, feeling the heat in his palm. He took a sip. He became thoughtful. Took another. It didn't help.

"So what did you get Steve?" the professionally suited women with strawberry blonde hair asked him as they left the coffee shop together.

"I don't know. I think it's supposed to be coffee?" Steve Rodgers said slowly. "I just ordered what you did."

Pepper Potts gave a bright laugh. "Then Captain, I hope you enjoy your very first Venti Vanilla soy latte."

"Is it coffee?"

"Yes."

He took another thoughtful sip. "Not too bad. I might get used to it." he looked back at the illuminated Starbuck's sign behind him. "I might even get to like it..". But $5 dollars for coffee? The future isn't what it used to be.


End file.
